Sanssouci Castle

Sanssouci Castle Potsdam Reviews

I was in Potsdam for the first time and was quite early taken by the many nice buildings in this wonderful city. One of the most stunning was Sanssouci; that was the former summer palace of Frederick the Great, King of Prussia, in Potsdam.

Sanssouci is often counted among the German rivals of Versailles. While Sanssouci is in the more intimate Rococo style and is far smaller than its French Baroque counterpart, it too is notable for the numerous temples and follies in the park.

The palace was designed by Georg Wenzeslaus von Knobelsdorff between 1745 and 1747 to fulfil King Frederick's need for a private residence where he could relax away from the pomp and ceremony of the Berlin court.

The palace's name emphasises this; it is a French phrase (sans souci), which translates as "without concerns", meaning "without worries" or "carefree", symbolising that the palace was a place for relaxation rather than a seat of power.

The influence of King Frederick's personal taste in the design and decoration of the palace was so great that its style is characterised as "Frederician Rococo", and his feelings for the palace were so strong that he conceived it as "a place that would die with him".

During the 19th century, the palace became a residence of Frederick William IV. He employed the architect Ludwig Persius to restore and enlarge the palace, while Ferdinand von Arnim was charged with improving the grounds and thus the view from the palace.

After World War II, the palace became a tourist attraction in East Germany. It was fully maintained with due respect to its historical importance, and was open to the public.

Following German reunification in 1990, the final wish of Frederick came to pass: his body was finally returned to his beloved palace and buried in a new tomb overlooking the gardens he had created.

Sanssouci and its extensive gardens became a World Heritage Site in 1990 under the protection of UNESCO. In 1995 the Foundation for Prussian Palaces and Gardens in Berlin-Brandenburg was established to care for Sanssouci and the other former imperial palaces in and around Berlin. These palaces are now visited by more than two million people a year from all over the world.

It was the castle for Frederick the great, former king of Prussia. Really beautiful place. Potsdam is considered the Versailles of germany. Lots of great History and beauty here. You can even see Frederick the greats tombstone there, covered in potatoes. Honestly, if you're in Berlin, it's something you have to see. Its a gorgeous huge palace, and park. Even the architectural flaws are interesting to note. Its a huge palace, but the closer you get to the steps, the palace seems to disappear. If you are in berlin, I would highly recommend Sandeman's New Europe walking tour of Potsdam.

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